Potter's Keeper
by Chocolate Chip Cookie and Milk
Summary: Harry Potter grew up in the Dursley home. He met Hagrid and went to Diagon Alley. There's where he met Cassie. As he grows up she's there for him. Forever
1. Chapter 1

**New Story. I know I'm working on Potters and Weasleys VS. Rest of Hogwarts, but I need a distraction cause I'm stuck. Yep, I'm stuck again. So this idea has been brewing in my head for a year. Ever since I started Time of my Life. So I decided to give it a life. It's a story about Harry and an OC that prettyy much behaves like a mother to him. The story is a little altered, so you might me a little confused. Also, there is no romance between my OC and Harry. Harry/Ginny all the way. You'll understand as the story goes on. **

**Rated: T**

**Genre: Family/Friendship/Action**

**WARNING! THIS IS GOING TO BE AS GRAPHIC AS TI NEEDS TO BE! IT'S NOT AS BAD AS M, BUT IT WILL BE GRAPHIC AT TIMES. THERE ARE BLOODY SCENES.  
**

**So Here's Potter's Keeper. I don't own anything except my OC.  
**

**So no one is confused, flashback it starts at Diagon Alley chapter 6 in Sorcerer's Stone**

Chapter 1

Harry Potter traveled to his attic. There was something there that he had to see. Had to face. Had to learn. He opened to dorr to his personal hell and heaven. he moved the cardboard boxes and finally found what he was looking for. A wooden box.

Harry Potter remembers the first time he met Cassandra Connelly.

The blond girl would raid his head from time to time in the last nineteen years. Her laughing, smiles, and scolding invaded his thoughts ever since that day. She was his Mum. He was her son. She was the Moon and he was the star. A teacher to a pupil. Her soul healed his heart then ripped it again. She was a ghost in his past he had to face. And face it he will.

Today was that day.

You can't say that she scarred Harry. She gave him the love and devotion he never experienced in his eleven year. Love that Lily gave him as a baby that lasted in his veins until he was seventeen. She gave him the love in a more solid form. A form that can be hugged and kissed. A form that he could tell all his secrets to.

He turned the elegant box he had in his hands. The box was put in the attic with his own hands. Every memory of her was in here. From the first day to the last day. The wooden box was carved with the word _Matris. _Mother. In order to let go of her I need to open this box.

He opened his demon, angel, and beloved.

**

It all started in his first day of his life in the wizarding world.

He lived a miserable existence with his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. His cousin Dudley was no better.

Then the letter came.

It came with no return address. It was addresses to him. Harry Potter ordinary boy. He was going to open it when Dudley pointed it out and Uncle Vernon took it away.

Then more came.

And more.

And more.

It got to the point where they had to move to a isolated island in the middle of nowhere. Then Hagrid came.

Boy was he huge. He came in and told him that he was a wizard. A famous one. He gave Dudley a pig tail and left with him on a motorbike.

He woke up the next morning. He thought it was a dream. A good dream that couldn't last. Then he woke up and saw that it wasn't he was so happy. So so happy. They took a Muggle train and went to Diagon Alley.

That's when the chaos happened.

He was surrounded by witches and wizards who wanted to meet him. He was just a boy. A wizard, but so was everyone else. Then there was his Professor Quirrell. Always stuttering.

"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts." what a teacher he was.

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."

yeah, sure.

"What sort of magic do you teach?"

"Defense Against Dark Arts' he had said. "Not that you would need it."

What an odd thing to stay, I thought then.

Now I know the truth.

And Gringotts, was huge. The vault had a pile of money. Gold, sliver and copper coins by the millions. His parents must have been rich.

The shops in Diagon Alley were colorful and full of life. People with pointed hats and cloaks walked everywhere muttering about prices and bargains. He looked in awe at this. He had already got his robes and met a wizard his age. He was blond and pale. He seemed to think he was better then everyone.

Like he hasn't run into those kind of people before.

Then he got Hedwig, his owl. The snowy white bird nipped his finger playfully. He was a good owl.

Then the wand.

Harry was nervous about getting his wand. Ollivander didn't make it any easier. After trying about a dozen wands, he finally found the phoenix wand. It was instantly warm on his hand. It was a part of him surely.

"Curious… curious…"

"Sorry?" Harry asked. "But what's so curious.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar."

Harry shuddered at this. The fact that his parent's murderers had the other phoenix wand was scary. It was like he was close to him. Closer then he expected.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."

Yeah that scared him to. He was a boy, not the most powerful evil wizard in the world. Harry still wasn't sure if he liked Ollivander.

Then they went to the get a bite to eat. There's were he met Cassandra.

Hagrid had to go to the loo and asked Harry to stay there. He sat there chewing his hamburger when a blond girl suddenly sat by him. He was so startled that he choked. The girl giggled. She had pretty green eyes.

"Hello, my name is Cassandra,' she said. "Cassandra Connelly."

Harry cleaned the front of his shirt. The mustard was splattered on his shirt. "Let me help you with that.' she took the napkin from his and took out a water bottle from her small backpack. She opened the top and poured a bit of water on it. She dabbed his shirt and took out most of the mustard.

"Um, thank you?" he questioned. Who was this girl. She acted like a long lost friend and mother.

"You're welcome." she made herself comfortable. She obviously was not going anywhere.

"So... are you going to Hogwarts?" he asked.

"Yes, it's going to be my first year,' she said. "Wait.. your Harry Potter!" he groaned. He was going to get tired of this fast.

"What are you doing here alone. Kids your age should have some supervision!" she exclaimed. "Now where is it... got it!" she pulled out a napkin. "You have some ketchup on your face.' she handed him a napkin.

Harry wiped of the ketchup. "Thank you, but you don't have to - "

"Nonsense. Honestly Harry, you would think that you would know to wipe your mouth," Cassandra said rolling her eyes.

"Why are you acting like a …."

"Mother, caretaker, keeper?"

"How did you know - " harry started.

"Even my own mother thinks I act like this,' Cassandra said. "Don't worry."

I met the girl for two minutes and I already think she's crazy.

"Harry, ready to go... oh hello Cassandra!" Hagrid said. "How are you?"

"I'm fine Hagrid," Cassandra replied. "But you on the other hand... living in a hut on the ground. No wonder that Malfoy boy thinks your a savage."

"I could care less what those ruddy Malfoys thinks,' Hagrid said.

"It's not only him Hagrid. It's everyone whose afraid of you! You don't even wear that sweater I got for you! It matched you eyes!" Harry leaned in. Hagrid has brown eyes.

"Cassie, your overreacting - "

"Did you wash your hands in the loo? Don't you dare lie to me like last time."

"Um.' Hagrid was sifting his weight to his left leg. Then his right. "No."

"What did I tell you? Bacteria and other germs are on your hand and you could get sick! Now go wash your hands!" Cassandra exclaimed. Hagrid rushed to the loo again.

"You know Hagrid?" Harry asked. How could she know him. She said she was a first year, but knows him? The other boy didn't.

"He's my cousin. His dad was my Dad's second cousin." she played with her fingers. "Although he's not technically my cousin, I call him that."

"Wow."

"Not really. All wizarding families are related. Even you and me," she said.

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yup. Oh Hagrid wipe them to!" she called. Harry heard some footsteps and a door slam. "You would think he would know better." Harry laughed.

"So, we'll sit together on the train then?" Cassandra asked.

"Train?"

"We take a train to get to Hogwarts silly! Would you like to sit with me?" Harry was warming up to this girl. The confident eleven year old acting as if there was no worries in this world and was definitely a good person to be around.

"Sure,' he replied.

"Good. It's nice to know you have a friend on the first day," she said. "Finish your hamburger before it gets cold."

**

Cassie, how did you get to Diagon Alley without a parent?" Harry asked.

"That's a secret." harry sighed. Cassie seemed to have a lot of secrets.

"Harry here's your ticket," Hagrid said. He handed him a ticket.

"Did you tell him how to get on the Platform?" Cassie asked.

"No, he'll figure it out on his own."

Platform 9 ¾. "Wait what do you - " They were gone.

**

"Platform 9 ¾," he muttered. _How was I suppose to know it didn't exist?_ The Dursleys thought I was stupid and just dropped me off. Then I asked someone who works here where it was. He thought I was joking and sent me off. _Now I'm lost_

"— packed with Muggles, of course —" Harry turned. It was a plump woman with four boys with flaming red hair talking.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go…"

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first." Yup definitely wizards. The oldest boy marched over and ran through. He vanished!

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone — but how had he done it? Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there — and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.

Even after the third time, he still couldn't believe it. "Excuse me,' he said.

"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too." She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is, I don't know how to —"

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly. He nodded. "Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

"Okay,' he said. He looked at the barrier. It was solid. He walked to the barrier and picked up some speed. The cart was out of control and he couldn't stop. He waited for the barrier to stop him and injure him but it never came. He opened his eyes and saw the most wonderful sight.

Witches and wizards were bustling everywhere. He tried to put his stuff on the train but dropped the bag on his foot. Instant pain.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.

"Yes, please," Harry panted.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you —?"

"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?" said Harry.

"_Harry Potter_." chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "Yes, yes I am." the two boys gawked at him.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mom."

With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.

Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying.

"Ron you have something on your nose." They boy jerked away.

"Mum – geroff," he said trying to leave his mother's grasp. The family laughed.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.

"Shut up," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now."

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter _P _on it.

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —"

"Oh, are you a _prefect_, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once —"

"Or twice —"

"A minute —"

"All summer —" Harry thought these two boys were hilarious.

"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.

"Because he's a _prefect_," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there."

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.

"Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —"

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."

"It's _not funny_. And look after Ron."

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"

"Who?"

"_Harry Potter_!"

Harry heard the little girl's voice.

"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, eh please…" Harry frowned. He is not a petting zoo animal.

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there — like lightning."

"Poor _dear _— no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school." thank you whoever you are.

"All right, keep your hair on."

A whistle sounded.

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."

"_George!_"

"Only joking, Mom."

"Eavesdropping are you?" a voice said in his ear. He jumped and hit his head on the roof of the compartment

"Tsk, tsk,' she said opening up her backpack. She took out some ointment. "sit down, I'll heal it." he sat downa dn she moved some of his hair. "Do you ever comb it?"

'Not worth it." she shook her head. "Boys." she spread some of the ointment on the spot where he got hit. He winced.

"If you hadn't hit your head, you wouldn't be n this position,' she chide and finished up.

"You snuck up on me!"

"I did no such thing. You are not suppose to eavesdrop. It's a bad habit."

"Is it okay of I sit here?" a red haired boy asked. The youngest one. "Everywhere else is full." harry shook his head. "Oh, hello Cassie."

"Hello Ron. Did your Mum pack you a sandwich? You know how your hunger is," Cassie said.

"Yes she did. It's corn beef though. I don't like corn beef,' he said.

"The only way you will like it is if you eat it. Honestly with your stomach it's hard to believe you don't like any kind of food."

"This is unbelievable. I just left my Mum and it's like getting her back again,' Ron huffed.

"You know how I am."

"Hi I'm Harry," Harry said.

"As in Harry Potter?" Ron asked.

"Yes."

"My brothers like jokes. I thought this was one of them. You never know with those two," Ron said.

"Speaking of the twins,' Cassie said.

"Hey, Ron. Hey Cassie."

The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley.

"Tarantula? You are not going near that got it?" Cassie said in a menacing voice. The twins cringed.

"Yes Cassie," One of them said.

"We - "

"Won't - "

"Dare to - "

"Go near the - "

"Tarantula." one of them finished. Talking to the twins were like watching people play video games. To confusing.

"Promise?"

"We promise. Weasleys never break a promise!" They saluted and left.

"They're going to make someone else go near the tarantula," Harry said.

"If they do, Molly's going to get a nice long letter,' Cassie said.

**So.. how was it. Should I keep going? Huh? Please tell me!**

**Also, if Cassie reminds you of Mrs. Weasley I got her characterization right. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Ah, another chapter of Potter's keeper. It's probably going to follow very closely to the books.**

** BTW tar heel superstar, Hermione does play a part in this story. Her roll may have shrunk slightly, but it isn't HP if Hermione's not there. Golden Trio is awesome.**

**Plus, who does Ron marry? Lavender? No I'm not that cruel.  
**

**I DO NOT OWN HP. JKR DOES. **

**WARNING! IF YOU DO NOT LIKE OVERLY PROTECTIVE PEOPLE, DO NOT READ THIS.**

**Rated: T**

**P.S. I LOVE reviews. (hint hint)**

Chapter 2

"Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got — you know…"

Harry showed his scar.

"You poor thing!" Cassie exclaimed. "It never went away?" Harry shook his head.

"So that's where You-Know-Who —?"

"Yes, but I can't remember it."

"Ron, didn't your mother tell you not to ask?" Cassie asked. Ron turned red.

"It's okay Cassie. I'm glad Ron asked." Ron gave him a meaningful look. Cassie gave them a glare worthy of Mr. Weasley.

"Cassie, that's scary when you do it," Ron said.

"Moving on, are all your family wizards?" Harry asked.

"Er — Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"So you must know loads of magic already."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Sure he does."

"OYE!"

"What it's true. No point lying Ronald." Ron had steam coming out of his ears.

"How many brothers do you have? I would love to have as many as you do," harry interrupted. No need for fights.

"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch."

"There's no reason to sulk Ron. You could be as good as them if you tried," Cassie said.

"Stay out of this!"

"Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor. "Don't buy to much, you'll give yourself a stomach ache!"

He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry — but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

Cassie scowled when he came back. "What did I tell you?"

"Not to buy to much, but I am going to share it,' Harry said. "Right Ron."

Ron's face lighten up. "Sure."

"You guys," Cassie sighed. "I'll get the medicine out."

Harry and Ron shared all the sweets. Cassie ended up eating the corn beef sandwiches. They were exchanging Chocolate Frog cards. Harry had gotten Albus Dumbledore first. His picture was there. "So _this _is Dumbledore!" said Harry.

Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —"

"You won't, she's probably the most rare card in the series,' Cassie said.

"You have no faith," Ron replied. "Bloody he- "

"Language!"

"He disappeared!" Harry exclaimed.

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron.

"He'll be back. Wizarding pictures have a habit of walking around," Cassie explained.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful. "Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

"No," they said in a chorus.

"I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"Have you looked by the loo? Toads seemed to like damp places," Cassie suggested.

"No... I'll look there now," Neville said brightening up. He ran off.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." the rat was snoozing on his lap. "He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference. I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"No, but we did tell him to look in damp places."

"Good idea. Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." Miss Bushy Head said.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." Ron waved his wand. Nothing happened.

"Ron that's not a real spell," Cassie said.

"But the twins told me - "

"Didn't you say before that the twins like telling jokes?" Ron gave a face and sat back in his seat muttering. "Gits."

"It's not nice to call people gits,' Cassie scolded.

"I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" Wow, she can talk really fast.

"This is Harry, Ron and I'm Cassie," Cassie replied. Harry could see it now. They become friends, and he would forever have a overprotective motherly friend and a pushy study buddy. The horror.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Hermione asked. "I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History _and _The Rise and Fall of the __Dark Arts _and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_."

"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best," Hermione said.

"It is,' Ron said smuggly. He probably thinks he finally out smarted her. "My whole family's in it."

"Really? I read that most families follow each other when it comes to Houses, but you can never be sure right?"

"Right."

"So, I best be off." with that Hermione left their compartment.

"that girl is mental. Whole course memorized?" Ron asked shaking his head.

"That mental girl is on the fast track to success," Cassie said. "Be like her, and you could be too."

Harry just watched the two bicker again. Their was no point in stopping them. Or maybe, it was just fun to see Cassie cheeks pink and temper high. He chuckled inwardly. This is going to be a long year.

**

Ron and Cassie were teaching harry how to play Exploding Snap went someone entered the compartment. Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," Harry said. He looked at the other boys. They were big, looked mean and scary. Bad combination.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron snickered and Cassie punched him in the arm.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

"Young man, you better apologize now," Cassie said slowly.

"And why would I do that?" Malfoy said with a sneered.

"Because if you don't, your not going to be able to feel your anything below your waist," she said. Malfoy had a look of fear before sneering again.

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.

"I think I can find to right sort for myself,' Harry said coolly.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

"Riffraff? I'll show you riffraff," Cassie screeched. That woke Scabbers up.

"What are you going to do girl? Scold me to death?" Malfoy said.

"You wish that's all I'm going to do,' she threatened. She looked so scary then. Crabbe and Goyle flinched.

"Really?"

"Really." Cassie and Malfoy were really close now. Cassie grabbed his shirt and brought him even closer. "Scared yet?"

"Not even close."

Goyle yelled. Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle

Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.

"What has been going on?"

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep."

And so he had.

"You've met Malfoy before?"

Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"Horrible boy,' Cassie muttered. "Ron, Harry I give you permission to beat some sense into him. I'll even do it."

"You were getting kind of close to him," Harry said.

"He needed to see I was serious," Cassie replied. "He's got a thick skull. He's just repeating what his parents said. With some talking and tea, I'm sure I can fix him.

"Yeah, and pigs will fly,' Harry snorted. "Wait, wizards can make pigs fly. Ignore that."

"I've heard of his family Cassie," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice.

"She's right you know," Cassie said. "Fighting is not good."

"Can you spare to lecture?" Ron said irritated.

Cassie shrugged. "Sure. I need to change. Bye you two." She left.

"Do you think Malfoy can really become good?" Harry asked.

"Nope. All Malfoys are bloody cowards. There's no way that could happen."

**

They were at the entrance of the Great Hall. The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts."

"A family? Blimey," Ron whispered. Cassie shushed him.

"You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

She looked at us all with her eyes. She seemed to have a look of pity.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Ron.

"Dunno," Ron said. "Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"Honestly Ron if you listened to your Mum, you would know that they don't make you do anything dangerous,' Cassie said.

"They could have changed the test since she's been here," Ron replied. "Merlin knows how many years it's been."

Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn't know any magic yet —what on earth would he have to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived. He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need.

"Harry, relax. If Fred said it would hurt, it lust be a joke,' Cassie said. "Here, have some juice. Calms nerves." she handed him a juice pouch. He sucked it through the straw until it was all gone.

Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air — several people behind him screamed.

"What the —?"

He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me. You with the pouch, put it away." Harry handed the pouch to Cassie. She took out a plastic bag and put it in there.

Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place.

It was lit by thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables had glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. Hundreds of faces were staring at them. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone in misty silver. Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History_." that must have been Hermione.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Cassie whispered. Harry nodded.

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.

_Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it_, Harry thought wildly, that seemed the sort of thingwizards do. But then again, after being here for a couple of days, wizarding was different then Muggles predicted.

Then the hat began to sing.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see, _

_I'll eat myself if you can find _

_A smarter hat than me. _

_You can keep your bowlers black, _

_Your top hats sleek and tall, _

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat _

_And I can cap them all. _

_There's nothing hidden in your head _

_The Sorting Hat can't see, _

_So try me on and I will tell you _

_Where you ought to be. _

_You might belong in Gryffindor, _

_Where dwell the brave at heart, _

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry _

_Set Gryffindors apart; _

_You might belong in Hufflepuff, _

_Where they are just and loyal, _

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true _

_And unafraid of toil; _

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, _

_if you've a ready mind, _

_Where those of wit and learning, _

_Will always find their kind; _

_Or perhaps in Slytherin _

_You'll make your real friends, _

_Those cunning folk use any means _

_To achieve their ends. _

_So put me on! Don't be afraid! _

_And don't get in a flap! _

_You're in safe hands (though I have none) _

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!" _

The Great Hall burst into applause.

"May the Sorting now begin!" Professor McGonagall said.

**Alright who thinks I'm evil? I know I am. **

**REVIEW REVIEW! If you don't, I munna eat you!**

**Just kidding. But seriously review. I don't care if it's to say I stink at writing. **

**Love you all! **

**Author out. **


	3. Chapter 3

**hey guys. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. Wright now we're at the sorting and it looks like someone's a little nervous. **

**RATE: T**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER JKR DOES. I OWN MY OC CASSIE!**

**WARNING: THIS IS THE SORTING! ANYONE WHO IS NOT PLEASED ABOUT ANYONE'S SORTING PLEASE TELL ME!  
**

Chapter 3

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor.

"A bit plump isn't she?" Cassie asked. Harry nodded absently. He didn't know how Cassie did it. She could just talk while her destiny was being decided.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot.

"Connelly, Cassandra!" McGonagall called.

"Wish me luck!" she whispered. Harry gave her a half smile. "Don't worry." She skipped to the Sorting Hat.

She gently put the hat on and smiled on the stool. She was confident and looked around the hall giving everyone a beautiful smile. They must have sensed something was different about this girl and quieted down. Harry crossed his fingers and hoped she would be in Gryffindor, like he hoped to be in. After what it seemed like hours the Sorting hat said "No House. This girl will have no House!"

"What?" McGongall asked confused.

"This student does not fit in any of the four houses," the Sorting hat cried. "She will not be sorted." The Great Hall was silent. Never had the Sorting Hat ever refuse to sort a student Harry guessed. Cassie was the last person he expected it to happen. He felt that he was the most likely candidate for that.

"Well, I see that we have a predicament," The Headmaster said. His eyes had a twinkle. "The best solution is to let her stay at any house she wishes for today and deal with it later."

"But Headmaster! The students must be sorted immediately from there arrival from home!" a little man with a squeaky voice said. he was wearing a purple robe and looked worried.

"Well, then Sorting Hat, please sort this student."

"If I refuse to sort, then the student will not be sorted!" the Sorting Hat exclaimed. "Unless you make a new House, i shall not sort this student!"

"Well, Professor, is that your answer. So Miss Connelly please sit wherever you choose," Dumbledore said. "I'll see you in the morning to discuss possible arrangements. She nodded and looked worried for a second. then she seemed to shake it off and went to Gryffindor table. "On with the sorting."

He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. "GRYFFINDOR!"

"No, not her!" Ron groaned. After a few more sortings, he found that it was Malfoys turn.

"Slytherin!" the sorting hat said with only a touch from his head. He smirked and made his way over to the table.

After a few more names, his name was called. "Potter, Harry." it caused whispers to spread through the Great Hall.

"The Harry Potter!"

"No way!"

"I thought he was living with Muggles!"

Harry walked up to the hat and put it on.

"Difficult, Difficult," it whispered in his ear. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So where shall I put you?"

Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, _Not Slytherin, not Slytherin_.

"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that — no? Then it better be GRYFFINDOR!"

Gryffindor table cheered. "WE GOT POTTER! WE GOT POTTER!" the twins chanted on the top of their lungs. He was relieved. Wait why did Cassie not get sorted, he thought.

"She was to special to be sorted," the hat whispered. "You have yourself a a unique person. Don't be unwise with your time with her Potter."

Harry took off the hat. What made her so different? He saw Cassie waving at him and he walked over and sat next to her.

"Wasn't that easy?" she asked. He snorted.

"Says the person who didn't get sorted at all."

"Hey, I'm one in a million," she replied. Harry smiled. "Better get back to the sorting."

And now there were only four people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table.

"Way to go," Sirius cheered.

"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Ron gave a visable sigh and walked to the table. He sat right next to Harry.

After a student named Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin, McGonagall took the sorting hat away and left the Platform for the headmaster.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

The Great Hall cheered.

"Thank you!"

Dumbledore sat back down and Harry felt as if this man was either mad or a genius.

"Is he a bit mad?" he asked Percy.

"Mad? No he's a genius!" Percy said. "Greatest wizard in the world. But I suppose he is a bit mad. Potatoes?"

Harry looked at the place in front og him. The empty plates were now filled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

He piled everything except the peppermint onto his plate. As he was reaching for the Yorkshire pudding a hand slapped his away. "What was that for?"

"It'll give you a stomach ache! You ate a pile of candies on the train. Merlin knows how many calories you've had today. Not that you don't need them," Cassie scolded.

"But I want some Yorkshire pudding!" he exclaimed.

"Harry James Potter, reach for that pudding and that's not the only thing that will look like mush," she threatened.

"Cassie, you should not be threatening students," Percy said.

"Would you like to escort Harry to the loo when he has to throw up?" she asked. Percy shook his head with a disgusted look on his face. "I thought not."

Harry blocked out the rest of the conversation. He began eating the food on his plate. It was all delicious.

"Wish I could have some," a ghost sighed sadly.

"Can't you - "

"No. I haven't eaten in five hundred years," the ghost replied. "I'm Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would _prefer _you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"_Nearly _Headless? How can you be _nearly _headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked miffed. He put his head on his head and pulled his head came off, but was hanging by a thread. Some had not cut off his head properly. Hermione gasped. The horrified faces of the first years seemed to satisfy his irritation. "Darn the French Revolution."

"You were a knight in the French Revolution?" Hermione asked.

"Why yes. Beheaded because I supported Marie Antoinette and King Louis."

"Forget that! Why is he covered in blood?" Dean asked.

"I never asked," Nearly Headless Nick replied. "I suggest you don't ask him though. He's in a bad mood today."

Harry finished all the food on his plate. Then the feast vanished and dessert appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding…

harry helped himself to some treacle tart and listened to conversation around him. Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons ("I _do _hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult —"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing — ").

Cassie and Ron were arguing again. "Ron don't eat that much ice cream It'll give you a brain freeze." Ron kept shoveling ice cream in his mouth. He swallowed.

"What in Merlin's name is a – OW!" Ron cried out. He held his head in his hands. "Ow, ow."

"Put your thumb under the roof of your mouth,' Cassie instructed.

"And what do you think that will do?"

"Just do it.' Ron stuck his thumb under the roof of his mouth. After ten seconds he looked up.

"It's gone."

"Good, never do it again," Cassie said.

Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.

It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes — and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.

"What is it?" asked Cassie asked. She took an ice pack out of her bag.

"N-nothing."

The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look — a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all.

Cassie pressed it to his forehead. "Alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," He said taking the ice pack off.

"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Percy.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to — everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins. They falshed him a thumbs up and he smiled.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

"Your not going anywhere near that, got it Fred and George?" Cassie asked. It wasn't a wuestion, it was a demand. "And if you don't, guess who's getting a nice long letter."

"George you guess,' Fred said.

"Fred, I think you should," George replied.

"Is it Mum?" Ron asked.

"No it's the Queen of England," Fred said. Ron looked at him confused. "Of course it's Mum!"

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, _

_Teach us something please, _

_Whether we be old and bald _

_Or young with scabby knees, _

_Our heads could do with filling _

_With some interesting stuff, _

_For now they're bare and full of air, _

_Dead flies and bits of fluff, _

_So teach us things worth knowing, _

_Bring back what we've forgot, _

_just do your best, we'll do the rest, _

_And learn until our brains all rot." _

Everyone finished at different times. The last two people were Fred and George who were singing at a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted the last few lines and cut them off.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

everyone followed the prefects to a portrait of a fat lady. "Password?"

"Caput Draconis," said Percy. The portrait swung open and revealed a common room with comfy couches and chairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another.

Before they went up though, Cassie gave him a pill. "It's for stomach aches in case you or Ron get one. Merlin knows what the amount of food is going to do."

"I'll keep that in mind." he slipped the pill into his pocket and went up the the top of a spiral staircase they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.

"Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings. "Get _off_, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."

Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he fell asleep almost at once.

Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully — and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it — then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold — there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking.

He had a stomach ache. Great, the last thing he needed was Cassie getting a big head about how she was right. He took the pill and waited until he felt better. He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he didn't remember the dream at all.

**Alright! Short chapter but now you know where he'll be. I left him in Gryffindor because, that's what he is at heart. I did tell you that i would be following closely to the book, and JKR would not be pleased to see a Slytherin Harry Potter. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! So I'm just wondering what you guys think of the story so far. I now it's weird seeing Harry in first year again with an almost mother at his side. My sister took a look at this and shook her head. Called me an idiot with a unique mind. I took it as a compliment. **

**Also I wanted to remind you guys that I have a live journal account: xxemokid101 is my name. Add me as a friend and watch out for chapter's I post there. I'm probably going to post a teaser for the next chapter of this story there. **

**Rate: T**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON"T OWN HARRY POTTER. THE AMAZING JKR DOES. **

**WARNING: ANYONE WHO IS SCARED OF SNAPE WILL SHUDDER AT THIS CHAPTER. HE WILL BE NASTY AND CASSIE BEING THERE WON'T HELP.**

Chapter 4

Harry woke up from the terrible night he had. The stomachache would not go away until a half an hour after he took the pill. After getting up himself he woke up a disgruntled Ron from his similar night.

"It's mad I tell you," Ron said. "I never got a stomachache before."

"How much did you eat last night?"

"A bit more then usual," he admitted. Harry gave him a look. "Okay a lot more then usual. It was a feast Harry, your suppose to eat more then usual. "

"All I know is that I'm not going to tell Cassie what happened," Harry replied. "Never."

"Your right about that mate. If we tell Cassie what happened she'll go on and on about how she was right."

So they got dressed and walked to the Great Hall.

"There look!"

"Where?"

"Next to the tall kid with red hair."

"Wearing glasses?"

"Did you see his scar?"

Harry groaned. Again with the famous thing. He hadn't asked for it, but it was like some person with a disliking for pale, knobby kneed, dark haired, glasses wearing people.

"Cheer up mate," Ron said. "It's only going to last a little while. Soon, no one will care if your Harry Potter." Harry sighed. He hoped Ron was right.

Ron and Harry sat down. They ate a little because they didn't want stomachaches today. Although a little for Ron seems to be sausages, toast, eggs, and pumpkin juice.

"Hey guys," Cassie said sitting next to Harry. "Did you guys get a good sleep?" they grunted. "I'll take that as a no. You guys shouldn't have eaten that much you guys must have had a stomachache."

"We didn't,' Ron said.

"Really? Then I would like the pills back .they were my last ones," Cassie said. Silence. "I knew it."

"What's on the agenda today?" Harry asked distracting Cassie.

"We still need to get our shedule," Ron grumbled. "Hope we don't have any classes with Slytherins. Nasty lot those Slytherins."

"Ron, please be nice to them. At least try to befriend them," Cassie said. "Know you you'll add fuel to this fight we have with them."

"Well I can't help it can I?" he snapped "They're unpleasant sneaky snarky snakes."

"Don't use alliteration for your evil purposes."

"Evil! I'm not evil," he exclaimed. "Wait what is alliteration?" Cassie just shook her head.

"Alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words," she explained. "Like Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper."

"What kind of idiotic saying is that?"

"Just forget it."

**

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot.

Portraits had people that could move and go into other frames. Harry recalled the Fat Lady saying she would like to go to the drunk monks painting during Christmas break.

The ghost didn't help either. They would glid from place to place and scare the first years. Nearly headless Nick was glad to help, but if you ran into Peeves you better watch out. He had a nasty sense of humor, leading first years to wrong doors, banging pots and pans, making noise in general. The only person who could control him was the Bloody Baron, and he was just to frightening to ask for help.

The only thing worst then Peeves was the caretaker Filch. Harry and Ron got on the wrong side of him the first day.

Cassie took a different route because she forgot her Potion's textbook in Gryffindor Tower. Harry and Ron however met with Filch went they were trying to open a door they lead to a forbidden corridor. Then Professor Quirrell came to the rescue when Filch threatened to lock them in a dungeon.

Then there was Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat. She had the same eyes as him and as sson as she spotted you doing something wrong she would run as fast as she could and you were caught red-handed by Filch. Ahe and Filch knew the secret passages better then every one (except for the Weasley twins) and could pop up anywhere. The strudents hated Filch with a passion and wished that he would die already. (he is extremely old already.)

And once you got into the classes it was like nothing you experienced before.

It turned out there were a lot more the classes then waving a wand and say a few words. In Astrology class they observed the night sky and identified different stars, movements of planets and constellations. in Herbology, they had a dumpy Professor called Professor Sprout. They learned how to take care of magical plants and fungi.

The most boring class was History of Magic. Everyone fell asleep during the class except Hermione who took notes with rapt attention. There was a rumor that a student fell asleep with the thought of going to the class. Professor Binns is a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.

Professor Flitwick was the Charms teacher. It was so small he had to stand on a pile of books to see the class, let alone teach them. At the start of class, he got the Harry's name and toppled over with excitement. So much for getting used to it.

Professor MrGonagall was different. As soon as everyone was settled on the classroom she gave then a talk to. "Transfiguration is one of the most dangerous magic you will learn in school. Anyone who is going to mess around should leave now."

she changed her desk into a pig and back. The class was excited. Then they learned they wouldn't be changing anything to animals for a while. She gave them an assignment to change a match to a needle. By the end of class, only Hermione Granger managed to make it sliver and pointy.

"Five points Miss Granger," McGonagall said with a small smile.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.

It turns out Harry wasn't too behind. There were plenty of Muggleborns and people who lived in the Wizarding World their whole lives didn't have much of an advantage.

Friday was their first of Potions. With Slytherins. "Great. Snape always favors the Slytherins," Ron groaned.

"Let's just see," Cassie said. "he can't that would be violating - "

"Cassie, if you hadn't noticed, no one cares," Ron said cutting her off. "Even though McGonagall doesn't favor us, doesn't mean Snape can't favor Slytherins."

Then the mail came in. Harry was used to it by now, but before he had a nasty shock when they came in on the first morning. So far he didn't get anything, but today he did. It read,

_Dear Harry,_

_I know you get a Friday off so would you like to come have tea with me around three?_

_I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig. _

_Hagrid_

Harry borrowed Cassies quill and wrote _Yes, please, see you later_ on a piece of parchment and sent Hedwig off.

It was lucky Harry had tea to look forward with Hagrid. Potions turned out to be the worst thing to happen to him so far.

It wasn't the fact that he was terrible at it. No it had more to do with Snape.

Snape didn't dislike him, he hated him.

When he got to Harry's name during roll call he said, "Ah Mr. Potter our new celebrity."

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione raised her hand.

"Umm," Harry said startled. "Could you repeat the question?"

"What – would – I – get – if – I – added – powdered – root – of – aspodel – to an – infusion – of – wormwood?" he said slowly so it would make Harry look like an idiot.

Hermione stretched her hand and sat on the edge of her sit.

He felt a paper brush at his side. Cassie's side. He looked at it with the corner of his eye. _Draught of the Living Death. _

"Draught of the Living Death," Harry said shakily. Merlin he hoped it was right.

"Correct," Snape said. His eyes looked surprised.

"Potter, where would you look if i told you to find me bezoar?"

Again he looked at Cassie's paper.

"In a stomach of a goat?"

"What is the difference between monskwood and wolfsbane?"

"Nothing. It also goes by the name of aconite."

Snape kept firing questions at him. He answered them with ease. Snape then looked at Cassie who was smiling at him. "What is that written on your paper?"

"Notes," she said casually. He raised his eyebrow.

"Really? Let me see?" Cassie handed the paper over. He scanned it quickly and handed it back to her.

"Fine. But if I catch you giving an answer to Mr. Potter or anyone else in my class it's guaranteed to get you a one way ticket out of here," Snape said coldly.

"Yes Professor," she replied still smiling.

"Is that cheek Miss Connelly?"

"Possibly." The class gasped.

"A point from Gryffindor then," he said.

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape. He cleared the potion from the floor. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered.

"Professor it wasn't his fault," Cassie said. "The book - "

"Is that more cheek from you Miss Connelly?" Snape said in a dangerous voice.

"Yes."

"Detention. Eight o' clock to tonight. Since you care so much about Mr. Longbottom, I suggest you take him to the Hospital Wing."

Cassie helped Neville out of the door. "As for the rest of you, if you don't want detention, leave now."

Everyone scrambled out.

**

Harry smiled fondly at the page. She got him out of trouble with Snape. What guts she had, even back in first year. He ruffled through the papers until he found a book.

_Cassandra's Journal_

She had a journal? Then Harry remembered. She used to write in it all the time. This must be her journal in first year. He looked at the thick book. It had her scent on it after all these years. It hugged it to his chest. He had tears coming out of his eyes.

Then he saw more journals. How many did she have? He found seven on the box. One for every year, including the Horcrux hunt.

What was it like in her view. How had she loved him? A friend, a lover, or a mother? A mix? Harry suspected the first and third. He knew how he loved her.

A son to mother, a friend to friend.

He opened the journal that his dear Cassie wrote in.

**

"Neville, are you okay?' she said concerned. He had taken a big dose of the potion.

"I will be when these boils are gone,' he said ruefully. "This happens all the time."

"You should be more careful."

"Cassie, I'm not sure your the one who should be giving me advice. That thing with you and Snape. That was scary."

"Well he shouldn't treat my friends that way," she said. Especially Harry.

She sighed. She had no idea why she felt so attached to Harry. She felt the need to protect him, even though he can manage himself. But it was not only him, it was Ron to. Everyone who she had come in contact with.

Her mother says it was because she was born with that motherly sense. Cassie doubted that though. She can't imagine herself with children. She wanted to be a free bird.

"Cassie we're here," Neville said/ she snapped back to the present.

"Okay. Tell Madame Pomfry I said hello," she said. Neville nodded and went in.

Cassie walked to the Owlry. It was quiet there. There was a constant flow of owls that are leaving and coming. She wished she had an owl. A gray one, with white feathers sprinkled on the wings. She sighed.

Then a phoenix came by her. She looked at it. It lifted one of it's feet to her. A roll of parchment was attached. She undid the scroll and gave the bird some crackers she had in her backpack and petted the old bird. It's brilliant. It was red and huge. It was strong she could tell.

She unraveled the parchment and read,

_Dear Miss Connelly,_

_This is Professor Dumbledore. I heard that you have finally reached our school. I would like to meet you in an hour to discuss your unique position. _

_Position? Ah yes, your parents have told me they haven't told you. I would tell you through this letter, but I cannot. It is to confidential. Also, I would like to add that this parchment has a spell on it. It will activate as soon as you step into my office. Do not be afraid. It will have a minor affect on you. _

_Also, I would like to discuss your friendship with a Mr. Potter._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S. I enjoy Lemon Drops. _

Lemon Drops?

Then she understood.

**So this is it for this chapter. I'm truly evil. What has Dumbledore have to say to her. What is this spell? What does this do with Harry? Or his future? **

**Gosh, I truly I'm evil. Leaving you with a cliffie. I hate cliffies. Don't you?**


	5. Chapter 5

******Hey everybody! My teaser for this chapter is up on livejournal, but I guess you don't need that anymore. Remember, you can friend me anytime. Also, I would like to announce that there is one for Potters and Weasleys vs. Rest of Hogwarts teaser there to. **

******DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP. J. K. ROWLING DOES. MAY SHE MAKE ANOTHER BOOK IN THE HP UNIVERSE. EVEN THOUGH SHE SAID SHE WILL IN TEN YEARS!**

******WARNING: IF YOU HAVE STRONG RELIGIOUS VIEWS I ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO READ FURTHER. **

******I'm totally serious about that. If you have any religious views please stop reading this story. I do not want to offend anybody. ********  
**

**Chapter 5**

**"Greetings Miss Connelly," the Headmaster greeted. "I'm Albus Dumbledore."**

**"Hello Professor," Cassie said respectfully. "I'm here because of the sorting I presume?"**

**"Yes, you know that no student has gone unsorted for a number of years," he said. "You are the first actually."**

**"And why is that?"**

**"Because you have a gift my dear."**

"And what is that?" Cassie asked curiously.

"Sit down," Dumbledore said.

Cassie sat in a comfy armchair and waited.

"Have you noticed how you seem to be motherly?" he asked. "Or that you have some attachment to some students?"

"Yes I have noticed," Cassie replied. "It's Harry Potter sir. Why?"

"Well, do you know about the night Lil and James were killed?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes I do, I read about it."

"Do you know what happens to people when they die?"

"No, I thought Professor nobody did," Cassie said confused. "What does this have to do with me?"

"It has everything to do with you,' he said gravely. "You know that Lily died to protect Harry I'm sure."

Cassie nodded.

"Do you believe in reincarnation?" he asked.

"Reincarnation sir?" What is this? I've heard the term, but Cassie's never knew what it meant.

"Reincarnation is the belief that a soul can return to Earth as another being," Dumbledore explained.

"Another being?" Cassie asked. "What do you mean? Is it like recycling?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Sort of. The soul finds another body and takes control of it."

"Wait, why are you telling me this?"

"Because, I believe you are the reincarnation of Lily Potter."

**

The the bloody....

Cassie was my Mum?

Or her soul was?

Why would that be, I mean does that mean everyone have a soul that was once someone else?

Harry was so confused. He stared at the diary. It was written in third person, so it was more like a story. Would that mean I was with my Mum this whole time?

To confusing.

Knowing Dumbledore he'll explain.

So Harry kept reading.

**

What?" Cassie stammered. "What do you mean?"

"You were Lily Potter. You are Cassandra Connelly. Wait that's not true," Dumbledore mused.

"So I'm not or were Lily Potter?"

"Let me explain. You were born in May I believe?" he asked. Cassie nodded. "So there was no way Lily Potter could take your body."

"So how I'm I Lily?"

"Lily Potter was in grief when she died. She loved Harry so much that she wanted to be there for him. So she resorted to her last resort. Reincarnation."

"But I'm here, and not Lily," Cassie said unconvinced. Maybe Ron was right, he did belong in the loony bin. She did know a nice insane asylum...

"She is here."

"What are you talking about. I'm Cassie, not Lily," she said frustrated.

"Her soul found the nearest body and tried to use it. That was you," he said. "But your soul did not want to give you up Cassie. They fought within you. They were eventually going to destroy your body."

"But, then?..."

"Your mother was worried about you. You were dreadfully sick. Always jerking and shivering," Dumbledore said. "She brought you to me. That's when I discovered what you were. Two souls fighting over your body. I did the only thing I thought would help. In case both of the souls in you so that they both are forced to govern you."

"So they're both in me?" Cassie asked uncertainly.

"Yes?"

And they both control me?"

He nodded. Cassie groaned.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Is that why I'm the most motherly being ever! I'm worst then Molly!" Cassie exclaimed. "Couldn't you kick one of them out?"

"Heavens no. Neither of them would given in," Dumbledore said. "It would kill you. It's better this way."

"What about my motherliness? Which side is that from?"

"Both. Lily protects Harry. You protect anyone who needs it," Dumbledore said. "But there is a complication."

"What?"

"You need a spell to keep both in check. One for every year. I'm the only one to put it you for some years," Dumbledore said.

"How can that be true? I've never really met you before,' Cassie said. The guy must be off his rocker.

"I've erased your memory every time."

"Why?"

"So you don't attempt the spell on your own. You may disrupt the balance,' Dumbledore said. "Only I can help you."

"But what if you weren't able to do the spell?" Cassie demanded. "Then what?"

"One will eventually win or your body will be destroyed," Dumbledore said somberly. "But that will never happen because you will learn how to cast the charm yourself when I see fit."

"Professor, when will that be?" Cassie asked. "When I'm of age, when I control my powers - "

"You will know."

Cassie groaned.

"Miss Connelly, would you like a lemon drop?" Dumbledore offered.

"No thank you."

"Well, how do you like the schedule we have made for you?" Dumbledore asked. "We modeled it after the Gryffindors."

"It's fine."

"Mis Connelly, would you like to think about this for a while?' he asked. Cassie nodded.

**

Is that why she pushed me away at times. So I wouldn't discover this.

She was my mother and friend.

This was just more proof.

Why didn't I see this before though?

All the signs were there.

She kept it for me.

But I can't stop loving her.

It was like it was meant to be.

Feeling sick Harry went back to his own memories.

**

At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "_Back_, Fang —_back_."

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. "_Back_, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

"Honestly Hagrid, maybe you should put him outside," Cassie chided. It looked like her heart wasn't in it though.

"I would if he wasn't such a bleeding coward," Hagrid mumbled.

"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles.

"Way to make him feel special Hagrid," Cassie said.

"Well there's so many of yer so it just slipped out," Hagrid said.

"Understandable,' Ron said. He looked a bit down though.

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.

"Harry make sure you wash those pants after we leave," Cassie whispered in his ear.

Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

"But he seemed to really _hate _me."

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals."

Ron proceded in telling him about his brother Charlie. Harry's mind wandered off. Then his eyes fell on a copy of the Daily Prophet.

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST _

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day. _

"_But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon. _

"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake. Harry read the story again. _The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. _Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?

Harry, Cassie and Ron went up to the castle. Harry couldn't help wondering how Hagrid knew the package could have been in danger. What was in it. Why was it so important? What in Merlin's name is Cassie hiding.

**Sorry this chapter is short. I just wanted this chapter to be about Cassie. If your confused just PM me so I can explain it to you. She's Lily and Cassie. **

**Anyone with religious views, i'm sorry. I just thought that this would be a more sufficient answer to the question, Why is Cassie so motherly. Plus this goes along with the rest of the story. I'm terribly sorry if I offended you. **

**So Adios amigos until next time.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! So this is chapter six! WOOO!!**

**Okay then... so here's the usual. **

**RATE: T**

GENRE: FAMILY/FRIENDSHIP/ACTION

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP. THE LOVELY JKR DOES.**

**WARNING: SOME SADNESS DURING THE ENDING OF THIS CHAPTER.**

Chapter 6

Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he met Draco Malfoy. Still, first-year Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday — and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Great," Harry said darkly. "Just what I wanted. To make a fool out of myself on a broom with Malfoy watching."

He had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams. He would tell long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.

He wasn't the only one, though. By the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick.

Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly.

"It is," Cassie said absently.

"How do you know that?" Ron asked.

"He tried to fly the other day. He stinks."

"There you go Harry," Ron said. "He stinks."

"Well I probably would stink to," Harry said miserably. "Sports are not exactly something I'm good at."

"Muggle sports are nothing like Quidditch,' Cassie reminded him. "Except possibly soccer, and honestly you just kick a ball around."

"Yeah," Ron said.

Already Ron has gotten into an argument about Muggle sports. He and Dean Thomas, who shared the dormitory with him, has gotten into an argument about soccer. Ron complained about how boring it was to see people kick around a one ball in one goal. The worst thing was that they could not fly. Harry had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, Harry felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

Hermione who was just as worried as Neville was reading _Quidditch Throughout the Ages. _Neville was reading over her shoulder desperate to avoid any accidents.

But of course you can't learn a sport from a book.

Ever since Hagrid's note he never got any mail. He never expected any from the Dursleys, and he really didn't have anyone to contact. Malfoy regularly got sweets from his Mum delivered by what it looks like a expensive eagle owls.

"Look what Gran got me!" Neville exclaimed. He held up a small ball. It looked cloudy.

"That a Remebrall," Hermione said. "It tells you whether you forgot something."

The ball turned red.

"Looks like a forgot something,' Neville said. He was puzzling over what he could have forgotten when Malfoy came and took the small ball.

Harry and Ron wanted a excuse to fight when McGonagall came.

"What is going on Mr. Longbottom?"

"Malfoy took my Remebrall Professor."

"Give it back Mr. Malfoy."

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Just what he needed.

"Harry your shaking,' Cassie said. "Are you scared.

"No."

"Here, calming draught." she took out a small bottle. Harry drank it in one gulp. He instantly felt his nerves relax.

Good, now he could fly.

Possibly.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did.

Hermione's rolled and Neville's didn't even come up.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.

"I told you Harry," Cassie said.

"Yeah yeah," he grumbled. "No need to get a big head."

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lip.

"Boy come down right no - "

Crack. It was to late Neville fell off the broom. The Broom flew lazily to the Forbidden Forest.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."

Neville whimpered.

"here," Cassie was by his side already. She took a piece of cloth out of her bag and made a support for his arm. Neville gave her a small smile.

"Are you going to take him to the Hospital Wing?" she asked.

"Yes."

Cassie nodded.

"Thanks," Neville said.

"You're welcome," she said giving him a huge smile.

Harry felt jealous. Why should Neville get her smile? She had never given him such a smile. It was lovely. Her small mouth corners turned up and her eyes would sparkle. If he could ever be graced with such a smile....

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, with his arm in the support, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

"What a lump!" Malfoy said laughing.

"It not funny Malfoy,' cassie said. She got right in his face. "How would like it if you fell?"

"Connelly, you're overreacting,'" she said backing up. "The lump could take care of himself."

"Malfoy I think you should say another word or I'll break your arm in the most painful way possible," Cassie threatened. "I'll be so broken you won't be able to use it again."

Malfoy scoffed, but he looked scared.

Never cross Cassie.

The consequences were deadly.

Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

This was going to get nasty.

"Then come up and get it Potter," he snarled while raising higher into the air with the broomstick.

Harry grabbed on of them.

"No she strictly said - " Hermione started.

"Harry..." Cassie said warningly.

He shot off into the air.

Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him — and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being taught — this was easy, this was _wonderful_.

He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.

He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.

The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down — next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball — wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching — he stretched out his hand — a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.

He flew to the ground and landed. People were patting his back and cheering. He smiled. Fling was wonderful. Oh how we liked it...

SLAP!

"Harry Potter!" Cassie screeched. "That was a fifty foot fall! How could you?"

his cheek was stinging. She was angry.

Extremely angry.

"You and your heroics! Do you have any idea how hurt you could have been?"

"Miss Connelly!"

McGonagall.

Oh no.

Did she see?

"HARRY POTTER!"

His heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was running toward them. He got to his feet, trembling.

"_Never _— in all my time at Hogwarts —"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "— how _dare _you — might have broken your neck —"

"That's what I was telling him!" Cassie exclaimed. "never again...."

"What do you mean never again?" McGonagall said. "He must play for the House team. Oh.... I need to see Wood."

"What?" Malfoy said. "He just broke the rules!"

"So did you Mr. Malfoy. 10 points from Slytherin," she said. "And 10 from Gryffindor." she added sheepishly. "Come with me Potter."

Harry followed her.

**

Harry smiled. That was one of his favorite memories in Hogwarts.

Flying...

He did mount a broomstick since the accident. Ginny was always trying to persuade him.

But he never could.

It was painful. He can't do it.

Yes he could.

It was easy. Simple. It was second nature to him. But what was stopping him?

Cassie's memory?

But she loved watching him fly. Always at his games...

He was going to try.

For her.

Harry took the box out of the attic and put it in his and Ginny's room. He walked to the cupboard and found his old Firebolt.

Firebolts was considered ancient now with all those fancy brooms now. But this is a classic. Like id Nimbus.

He went to the back where he saw his kids. They waved to him. He waved back. Then they spotted the broom.

"Daddy are you going to play with us?" said the littlest. Lily Luna Potter.

"Yeah," he said.

"Mommy! Daddy's going to play with us!" she cried. She was nine. She didn't know how important this was.

A red haired woman walked out of the house. "What?"

"Daddy's going to play!"

"Harry?" Ginny asked. "really. You haven't since..."

"I know,' He said smiling. "Join me Ginny?" he held out his hand.

She took it.

"Would miss it for the world." she kissed his cheek. They mounted the broom together. Ready?"

"Ready."

They shot off.

He never felt something this good.


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay, seventh chapter. Wow, look at my guide, the Sorcerer's Stone, I'm half way there! I'm not sure how I'm going to fit Cassie into the end, when they are going to look for the Stone. I was hoping to put her in the middle of the action, but I want her to have a different experience since we all know what happens to Harry. I think I have to perfect idea, but I would need to change some of my other plans around. Then again, I don't mind. **

**Also, I've been using some of JKR's words and phrasing in this story because it was hard in the beginning to write this. I'm stopping after this chapter, but there will be a longer pause between chapters. Also, this is going to have way more of Cassie POV because She's my character, and she's easier to write for. Harry's parts have been written by JKR, so It's hard to make it original. So you'll be seeing Cassie's inner struggle more then Harry's. **

**As crazy as this sounds, I have this story all planned out. I just need to write it and stuff. I'm not sure if I'll separate each book into separate stories, but most likely not. I want to this be one huge and massive story that keeps bring in the goods. Plus, I'm thinking about skipping some filler stuff. **

**RATE: K+ - T **

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP. JKR DOES. **

Chapter 7

Harry Potter just went flying for the first time in years. And he felt alive doing it.

Where had the time gone? It was like Cassie was there with him. He missed her alright. So much. But now was the time for living. And that's why he went flying.

And that's why he was going to read and look through those memories in the beautiful box.

And here he goes.

**

He wanted to say something to defend himself, but there seemed to be something wrong with his voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Now he'd done it. He hadn't even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags in ten minutes. What would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the doorstep?

They would probably try to drown him in the ocean, see how he does not know how to swim.

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to him. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

Wood? thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him? He was used to beating from the Dursleys, but this would be worst, he was sure.

But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.

"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry.

"In here."

Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.

"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood — I've found you a Seeker."

Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.

"Are you serious, Professor?" He had a Scottish accent and seemed to be generally shocked at the fact that a first year could be his Seeker.

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it.

Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"

Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on, but he didn't seem to be being expelled.

Thank Merlin.

Think about what would Cassie say.

Wait, she'll kill me anyway so it wouldn't matter.

"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.

"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him like a piece of meat. Harry liked Wood already.

"Light —speedy — we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor — a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."

Harry was now clueless. What was the difference? He'll just have to ask Ron or Cassie.

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. _Flattened _in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks…"

he had a feeling that McGonagall was not pleased with that.

Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.

"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

Then she suddenly smiled.

"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

It was dinnertime. Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it.

"_Seeker_?" he said. "But first years _never _— you must be the youngest house player in about —"

" — a century," said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth. He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me."

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.

Cassie on the other hand was about to kill him.

"How can you go and do that Harry,' She said angrily. "What would have happened if you had fell, you could have killed yourself!"

"Cassie, the thing is, he didn't," Ron said.

"_But he could have."_

"But he didn't," Ron said after swallowing have of his kidney pie. "Besides, he's on the team now. It's all good."

"I start training next week," Harry interrupted.. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too — Beaters."

Didn't Wood say that they were pretty much Bludgers themselves?

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

Cassie bristled at this. Malfoy noticed this.

"Anyway, I hope your happy Connelly, that stunt you pulled nearly got me in trouble."

"You were doing that well on your own."

He sneered. Cassie's eyes narrowed. Harry hadn't seen Cassie at her limit, but he thinks that's now.

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, before Cassie could react. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie.

Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.

"Well you won't have to worry about that," Cassie said. "You're not going."

"Excuse me," Ron sputtered. "Of course we are."

"No you're not," I different voice spoke.

They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"Ron don't be rude."

"I agree with Cassie over here. You _mustn't _go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"I was thinking more along the lines that they may get hurt," Cassie said thoughtfully. "But continue."

"It's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

**

Harry sighed at this. Stupid. How could he fall for that?

That's what got him in the mess the first place. And also the first time Cassie risked her life for him.

Damn Malfoy. I mean come on, how could he have believed the smarmy git? Sure he's reformed in the past years, but he was still a git when he was eleven.

He sighed. Well that's what happened. And it got worst.

**

idiots.

The both of them, Cassie thought angrily. Go to a wizard's duel in the middle of the night. Can't even perform magic properly. How are they even going to get out of the Tower. The Fat Lady wouldn't...

"Half-past eleven," Ron muttered to Harry, "we'd better go."

They crept to the door. Then another voice joined them.

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."

A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.

"_You!_" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

Oh no she won't.

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy — he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

"Yes he would,' Cassie said stepping in. "Forget Percy, think about your Mum, Ron."

Ron went white. I hit the target.

"Come on," Harry said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

Hermione and Cassie weren't going to give up that easily. The followed the two badgering them.

"Don't you _care _about Gryffindor, do you _only _care about yourselves, _I _don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

'You'll get yourself expelled," Cassie said. She really believed that. The Lily side of her told her to stop them right now. But she couldn't. Hermione and her could not stop two boys who are stubborn as anything.

The Cassie side was excited. Maybe there would be a duel, and how would it go? Does Malfoy really know a lot of spells?

"Go away." That brought her back.

"No," Cassie replied. "Do you really think Malfoy is going to show? He's a chicken for Pete's sake."

"I don't know who Pete is, but I don't care," Ron said.

"It's a figure of speech," Hermione said.

"A figure of what?"

"never mind. Come on, you have to come back in.' Hermione turned aground. The Fat lady was gone. "How am I suppose to get in?"

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.

"I'm coming with you," she said.

"You are _not_."

"Ron, I have no guilt," I told him. "I don't care if you curse me to the deepest pit of hell, I'm going to tell your Mum if you go."

"I'm going."

"Molly will be getting a long letter." And she will be. As soon as I send that letter to her about Fred and George.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. "I heard something."

It was a sort of snuffling.

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

He looked sad. Aw.

"How's your arm?" Cassie asked.

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good — well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later —"

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione Cassie, and Neville.

"If any of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.

They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. .

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

"Or maybe he's not showing up," Hermione hissed.

My God, Ron was right, she was interfering, Cassie thought. I want to see this!

The Lily side said to stop this. She must have been making a face because Harry looked concerned.

"Cassie, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak — and it wasn't Malfoy.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Harry waved madly at the other three to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following — they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, They ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted. .

"I —_told _— you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I — told — you."

Insufferable know it all.

She was just trying to help.

Like heck she was.

"For the love of Merlin could you shut up?" Ron asked. Again, the sound of someone's voice brought her back. For a minute she thought that he heard her internal struggle, but they were to busy looking for Flich.

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," Cassie said. Her heart was pounding. This was a bad idea. A really bad idea.

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you — Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

Harry was silent.

"Let's go."

It wasn't going to be that simple. Peeves caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves please, you'll get us thrown out."

Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."

Cassie thought to warn them to never believe Peeves, but it was to late.

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door — and it was locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"

They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.

Hermione grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, "_Alohomora_!"

The lock clicked and the door swung open — they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now _where did they go_?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right —_please_."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay — get _off_, Neville!" For

Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. "_What_?"

We weren't in a room.

We were in a corridor.

The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of yellow eyes, drooling mouth, and each had two rows of razor sharp teeth.

It was a really bad idea to come here.

The monster roared. Ron fumbled with the lock but managed to get it opened. The others ran out of there and didn't stop running until they reached Gryffindor Tower. Neville was near crying then, but Cassie didn't notice then. her heart was racing.

Part of her wanted to keep safe.

The other wanted to live it again. Find out what the dog was doing there.

Time to make a visit to Dumbledore.


End file.
